Taking Out The Trash, 08.03.06

Gawker’s Greatest Moments In Journalism Project brings us to Laura Sessions Stepp‘s tales of losing it in the summer.

Inside The Beltway’s John McCaslin reports today that St. Regis Hotel “will close Sept. 1 for a 10-month renovation — 80 years after President Calvin Coolidge cut the ribbon at the hotel’s grand opening in 1926.” The renovation is being done by Sills Huniford at the estimated cost of $150,000 per guest room. The Christian Science Monitor has had to move its newsmaker breakfasts to the Sofitel Lafayette Square. The breakfasts typically attract some 30-odd top media types.

You all believe that the realreason for a WH Press Room revamp: To move the press permanently across the street. (Although bugging the place is still a very real possibility.)

Who was the journo that askedTony Snow about Mel Gibson? We’re told it was Lester Kinsolving.

Yesterday, a Senate reporter had to be reminded of their no-camera policy, as she filmed in S207 with new equipment she was boasting about, to be used for her daily newspaper’s website.

Wonkette doesn’t get mad. Wonkette gets even. Retaliating against The Hill Newspaper for allegedly stealing their scoop without even a shout out, Wonkette named the sender of the series of, umm, interesting emails the site had published in June and revealed that she, Andrea LeBlanc, is leaving the Hill. This means no more emails. Sorry kids.

Lee Siegel and Christopher Hitchens go head-to-head over the fine line between First Amendment rights and the “hate-speech.”

In response to booting Campus Progress’ Connor Clarke out of the Young America’s Foundation’s conference, YAF tell us that CP is “not a legitimate member of the media, and is not recognized by the National Press Club as such.” To skirt this issue, CP asked a Washington Monthly intern to cover the event for them, using his Monthly credentials. The magazine’s managing editor told YAF that she was unaware of this and apologized. From YAF: “The content directors at Campus Progress are perplexed as to why we just don’t grant them press credentials. Those points have been addressed here and here.

Turns out Anthony Williamsmay not hate the press. Yesterday’s presser was held inside an air conditioned room at the Sherwood Rec center in Northeas and not down in a tent on the facility’s lawn, as members of the press corps had previously anticipated.

If most of the Times’ interns are gone for the summer, what will become of the Intern Blog? Last post on July 28?! That doesn’t bode well.